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The Old Mint, 5th Street
Built in 1869 this was once the busiest mint in the country, churning out the silver and gold coins needed to keep up with San Francisco's booming Gold Rush and Comstock Lode economy. Known as the 'Granite Lady,' the Mint's Greek Revival granite walls are three feet thick and its windows are sealed with iron shutters that made it impregnable enough to survive the 1906 earthquake and fire. The Mint stopped producing coins in 1932 but up until 1937 the vaults of the Old Mint Building contained one-third of the nation's gold reserve. The Mint was closed by the Treasury Department in 1995 for refurbishing and a seismic upgrade.
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